The Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) needs little introduction. At the peak of his radio and television popularity from the 1940s to the 1960s, his fame eclipsed even that of the celebrated Protestant evangelist Billy Graham. Pope Francis has approved the beatification of Archbishop Sheen following documentation of a miracle through his intercession. A second miracle is required for the sainthood of the first American bishop. The following treatment of Sheen’s little book Thoughts for Daily Living (1951) is a small window into the large spiritual genius of the most famous American Catholic.
On Happiness
In a reflection titled “Happiness” Sheen notes that, above all else, two things are required for a happy life: first, a lofty sense of one’s purpose for living; second, the rejection of living for oneself alone. The first requirement is that we have a grasp of truth; not just any truth, but divine truth, perfect truth, the truth that teaches the supremacy of love above all else. The second requirement is that we abandon “crushing egotism and selfishness,” which gives our love to ourselves and denies it to others. By acknowledging the truth God offers us, the “sluice gates of heaven open” to pour out grace upon our lives. Upon receiving that grace we learn that we can only begin to be happy when the ego dies and is reborn again in the wisdom of knowing and loving more fully God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.